diff --git a/.changeset/tender-ties-punch.md b/.changeset/tender-ties-punch.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3377731203
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/tender-ties-punch.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+"@pnpm/core": patch
+"pnpm": patch
+---
+
+Improve the outdated lockfile error message [#6304](https://github.com/pnpm/pnpm/pull/6304).
diff --git a/pkg-manager/core/src/install/index.ts b/pkg-manager/core/src/install/index.ts
index ed4162cb82..f3544a3fff 100644
--- a/pkg-manager/core/src/install/index.ts
+++ b/pkg-manager/core/src/install/index.ts
@@ -351,9 +351,16 @@ export async function mutateModules (
       )
     ) {
       if (needsFullResolution) {
-        throw new PnpmError('FROZEN_LOCKFILE_WITH_OUTDATED_LOCKFILE', 'Cannot perform a frozen installation because the lockfile needs updates', {
-          hint: 'Note that in CI environments this setting is true by default. If you still need to run install in such cases, use "pnpm install --no-frozen-lockfile"',
-        })
+        throw new PnpmError('FROZEN_LOCKFILE_WITH_OUTDATED_LOCKFILE',
+          'Cannot perform a frozen installation because the version of the lockfile is incompatible with this version of pnpm',
+          {
+            hint: `Try either:
+1. Aligning the version of pnpm that generated the lockfile with the version that installs from it, or
+2. Migrating the lockfile so that it is compatible with the newer version of pnpm, or
+3. Using "pnpm install --no-frozen-lockfile".
+Note that in CI environments, this setting is enabled by default.`,
+          }
+        )
       }
       if (opts.lockfileOnly) {
         // The lockfile will only be changed if the workspace will have new projects with no dependencies.
diff --git a/pkg-manager/core/test/install/overrides.ts b/pkg-manager/core/test/install/overrides.ts
index 1bab2f9552..8b6f20a566 100644
--- a/pkg-manager/core/test/install/overrides.ts
+++ b/pkg-manager/core/test/install/overrides.ts
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ test('versions are replaced with versions specified through overrides option', a
     }, await testDefaults({ frozenLockfile: true, overrides }))
   ).rejects.toThrow(
     new PnpmError('FROZEN_LOCKFILE_WITH_OUTDATED_LOCKFILE',
-      'Cannot perform a frozen installation because the lockfile needs updates'
+      'Cannot perform a frozen installation because the version of the lockfile is incompatible with this version of pnpm'
     )
   )
 })
diff --git a/pkg-manager/core/test/install/packageExtensions.ts b/pkg-manager/core/test/install/packageExtensions.ts
index 4bf601baeb..b336e8600a 100644
--- a/pkg-manager/core/test/install/packageExtensions.ts
+++ b/pkg-manager/core/test/install/packageExtensions.ts
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ test('manifests are extended with fields specified by packageExtensions', async
     }, await testDefaults({ frozenLockfile: true, packageExtensions }))
   ).rejects.toThrow(
     new PnpmError('FROZEN_LOCKFILE_WITH_OUTDATED_LOCKFILE',
-      'Cannot perform a frozen installation because the lockfile needs updates'
+      'Cannot perform a frozen installation because the version of the lockfile is incompatible with this version of pnpm'
     )
   )
 })